Supporting means for flexible tubing



Dec. 29, 19.31- H, J. HERSEY, JR" ET AL 1,838,623

SUPPORTING usliks FOR FLEXIBLE TUBING Filed My 15, 1931 hi J. l- /aeszz Je., Q 13. MKZ'SELL h at the points of support.

Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED TATES PATENT I OFFICE HENRY J'. HERSEY, JR., 0F SALT LAKE. CITY, UTAH,AND DANIEL B. MIKESELL, OF

1 WARSAW,

INDIANA SUPPORTING M ANs non FLEXIBLE TUBING Application filed May 15,

10 gases under pressure;

Second. To allow the collapsing of the tub ing when deflated. 1 v

Third, To guard against the early destruction of the tubing due to deterioration In our experience, it has been found that the life of flexible ventilating tubing can be considerably lengthened by the simple expedient of providing two side supports, instead of a single support located at the topof the tubing, as has been the previous practice. This is brought about by the fact that in mines, and especially metalliferous' mines, rapid deterioration of the tubing ensues along its crest, dueto mine water, charged with injurious substances, which constantly drips down onto the tubing and causes a rotting eifect upon the area of the tubing fabric in proximity to the points of attachment along the upper portion of the tubing.

In our improvement, thetubing is provided with two longitudinal side flanges, consist ing preferably of several thicknesses of the materialof which the tubing is made and which serve to strengthen the tubing; Spaced apart in pairs, along the lengthof these flanges, are eyelets, preferably of metal, and: located, diametrically Opposite each other.., Engaged-in each pair of eyelets, are bails, each of. these, bails beingpreferably in two. parts, and providedwith-a hook which The features of this invention for which theprotection of Letters Patent is desired, are collectively grouped in; the claims con-- eluding this specification. In the drawings, Figl representsa View may befastened to any suitable anchorage in in. perspective of portion enclosed by the broken'line 2' in 1931. Serial No. 537,578.

Fig. l;

Fig. 3, a cross section of a flexibletube inflated, showing the bail-in. elevation;

Fig. 4, a cross-section similar to Fig. 3, but showing an alternate position due: to a deformation; 1 v Figs. 5 and 6, enlargements, in perspective, of the portions enclosed by broken lines 5 and 6 in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively; and I Fig. 7, a-Inodification in the construction ofthebaiL' Referring-to the drawings,'the n'umerallO indicates a collapsible tube made of flexible material such as a waterproof, textile fabric and having the side flanges" 12 preferably: formed of layers 14, Fig. 2, of the fabric.- Spaced apart along the flanges 12, may be eyelets 15, preferably made of metal. Engaged in certain of these eyelets, by means of hooks 16, are hangers or bails 17 preferably erably so connected to each other, as'to. allow a-certain amount of movement, as indicated in Fig. 6. For this. purposeflthe part 172 may have substantially horizontal eyelet 18" and 1 a substantially" vertical eyelet 1'9. Throughthese eyelets passes the upper portion of the part 171, while a shoulder forinedatfZO, acts as a stop for engaging the eyelet'19 when the parts are moved toward each other, soas to prevent the bail from closing together to an undue extentf Ahoiok 24 forms the terminus of the part l7l'and serves to attach the bail to any'suitable anchorage, such as amessenger cable 25 as indicated 'in'Fig. I. I p

It willbe noted in Fig, 1, that eyelets 15 are spaced comparatively close: together, while the hangers are spaced at greater intervals. This providesan excess of eyelets and permits of considerable variation in locating'the bails,.so asto adapt aninstallation to individual conditions and to the individual judgment of the user.

' 'The substantially normal shape of thebai ls 17 is indicated in elevation in Fig. 3, but it frequently happens in the course of usage, that the bails become distorted, assuming a shape such as indicated for instance, in Fig. 4. It will be noted that when this occurs, the two parts of the bail are allowed to assume a relation such as is approximately indicated in Fig. 6, where 173 represents the distorted form of the part 17 2. Even with the distortion, the bail still clears the inflated tubing.

If desired, the modified construction of the bail illustrated in Fig. 7, may be used. In this construction the bail is made of two parts 27-1 and 272, these two parts being connected to each other by the respective eyelets 25 and 26.

A singular advantage of the bails of both types is that moisture, which has a tendency to drip from the roof of the mine workings, accumulates and follows the bails from the messenger cable, but flows off from the latter substantially as indicated by the arrows 28 in Fig. 3 without touching the tubing.

It is to be particularly noted that the top l0l of the tubing is entirely free from any obstruction, and that such moisture as may strike the top of the tubing will immediately flow off without encountering any obstruction thereon and thus having no opportunity to soak into the fabric. At the same time, each bail supports the tubing at two points, so that the stress of suspension is cut in two, and as the points of attachment are located in the substantially vertical portion of the tubing walls, instead of in the substantially horizontal portion at the top of the tubing Walls, a greatly extended life of the tubing fabric is obtained.

When flexible tubing is so suspended that it has constantly the same surface uppermost. the deterioration due to the constant dripping of mine water thereon, is very considerable. By means of our improvement, this evil is reduced by one-half, since the two side flanges with their eyelets are designed for turning the tubing over so that at the proper time the top and bottom are reversed. The same turning over, also reduces by substantially one-half, any bad effects upon the lower bends of the flanges where these join the body of the tubing.

Ordinarily, stresses imposed by the weight of the tubing, tend to force upthe outstandlng side flanges at thepoints of suspension, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby putting all the wear and tear on the bent fibers of the lower part of the. flanges. Now, due to that property of our improvement which allows the turning over of the tubing, only about one-half of this wearand tear is manifested at any one point, since the wear is distributed over both bent portions of each flange.

I The benefits just enumerated are realized in this invention, in addition to those properties which allow the free inflation and deflation of the tubing.

The yielding action between the two parts or wickets, 171 and 17-2, or 27-1 and 272, of which each bail is composed, allows the freedom necessary for the bail to accommodate itself to the different positions of the flexible tubing walls while passing from the deflated stage to the inflated stage, or vice versa.

The construction indicated in Figs. 1 to 6 is especially useful, due to the eyelets 18 and 19 being spaced apart from each other on wicket 17-2, and so arranged that eyelet 19 engages the body of wicket 17 1, while the eyelet 18 engages the transverse neck 22, which permits the eyelets to freely slide along respective portions of wicket 171.

While a specific embodiment of our invention is herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes could be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim is:

1. Supporting means for flexible tubing, including in combination, a flexible tube having side members projecting therefrom, a bail straddling the upper portion of the tubing, and means for attaching the lower extremities of the bail to said tubing in such a manner that said tubing shall be free to allow collapsing thereof when deflated.

2. Supporting means for flexible tubing,

including in combination, a collapsible tube having outwardly projecting side flanges ex tending longitudinally thereof, a bail extending over the upper portion of the said tube, and means for attaching the lower extremities of said bail to said side flanges so as to allow said tube to collapse freely when it is deflated.

8. Supporting means for flexible tubing, including in combination, a collapsible tube, a bail portion having an upper hook, a neck therebelow, and a lower hook; a second bail portion having an eyelet engaging said neck, and a lower hook; and means for engaging the lower hooks of both the said bail portions and said tubing at points opposed to each other and located substantially at the extremities of a diameter of said tubing.

4. Supporting means for flexible tubing, including in combination, a collapsible tube, a bail portion having its lower end attached to said tube, a neck portion at the upper end of said bail portion; a second bail portion having its lower end attached to said tubing at a. point opposed to the point of attachment of the first bail portion, means for flexibly connecting the upper part of the second-mentioned bail portion to the neck of the first bail portion, and means for attaching the first bail portion to an anchorage so as to allow his the free collapsing of said tube when deflated.

5. In combinaton, a flexble tube having fastening members disposed longitudinally on both sides thereof, and hangers engaging said fastening members in such a manner as to render said tube reversible, and at the same time, to be freely inflated and deflated.

6. Supporting means for flexible tubing, including, in combination, a bail composed of two parts, one part having a body and a neck extending transversely of the body, the other part having two eyelets spaced apart from each other, one eyelet engaging said body, the other eyelet engaging said neck; and a flexible tube straddled by said bail, the lower portions of the bail being fastened to the sides of the flexible tube so as to render said tube reversible in the bail.

7. Supporting means for flexible tubing, including in combination, a bail composed of two wickets having eyelet portions joining said wicketstogether, and a flexible tube straddled by said bail, the lower portions of the bail being fastened to the sides of the V flexible tube so as to render said tube reversible in the bail. V

In testimony whereof, we sign ourwnames hereto. 7 HENRY J. HERSEY, JR.

DANIEL B. MIKESELL. 

